Diet soda sounds like an easy way to cut calories, but new research shows it may not be good for weight loss. Learn why diet soda may actually cause you to gain weight, among other problems. If you feel better about having a burger and fries for lunch because you ordered a diet soda, you shouldn’t. Studies show that diet soda may not be any better for you than regular soda. In fact, it may even be worse. Close to 60 percent of Americans drink diet soda on a regular basis. Many of them believe diet soda helps them with weight loss, but there is mounting evidence that diet soda may actually…

Early study of five patients found up to 45-pound drop, but much more research needed. The first five patients to try a new, minimally invasive weight-loss procedure dropped an average of more than 45 pounds in six months, researchers report. The procedure — called gastric artery chemical embolization (GACE) — works by blocking an artery in the stomach. This cuts off part of the blood supply to an area of the stomach that produces most of the hormone ghrelin, which stimulates appetite. “If a large, randomized study shows similar results, this may be a very simple method and an alternative to bariatric surgery,” said lead researcher Dr. Nicholas Kipshidze, with…

Association between CRP and multiple measures of atherosclerosis was diminished and largely not significant in obese individuals. The relationship between C-reactive protein and multiple measures of atherosclerosis is weakened as body mass index increases, researchers found. Rising high-sensitivity CRP levels were associated with increased rates of coronary artery calcification in normal-weight and overweight men and in normal-weight women, but not in obese individuals of either sex, according to Amit Khera, MD, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and colleagues. The findings, reported online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, were similar for two other measures of atherosclerosis — aortic wall thickness and aortic plaque…

Obese patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) had weight loss and resolution of other obesity-related complications, similar to that of patients without IBD, after bariatric surgery, a small retrospective study showed. Weight loss varied substantially by the type of bariatric procedure used, ranging from 26 percent of excess weight with adjustable banding to 95 percent with sleeve gastrectomy. The 17 patients in the study had a variety of obesity-related health problems, all 17 had resolution or improvement in the conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea, hyperlipidemia, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). “These patients have done really well,” David Gagné, MD, of West Penn Allegheny Health System in Pittsburgh, told MedPage Today.…

If you think surgery for weight loss could help you, find out what you need to do to prepare. If you are severely obese, bariatric surgery — also known as weight-loss surgery (WLS) — may be an option for you. But if you are interested in getting surgery for weight loss, where do you begin? What should you do first? And how long will the preparation take? Bariatric Surgery: The First Steps If you have struggled with your weight for a long time, have not been able to lose weight with diet and exercise, and have health problems related to obesity, it may be time to educate yourself about bariatric surgery. Reading…

Millions of us have jobs that require us to sit at desks or around conference tables for several hours per day. Many health risks are associated with sitting down for prolonged periods — but how do we stay active in the workplace? We find out. Research has demonstrated that sitting for an extended period is linked with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and an increased risk of death from heart disease and cancer. Excessive sitting may also slow metabolism, which has an impact on the body’s ability to regulate blood pressure and blood sugar, as well as break down body fat. Injecting physical activity into your working day could reduce some of the health risks that are elevated…

Most people attempt a diet at some point in their life. Many of us are on one right now. However, new research says that dieting may be counterproductive and that, actually, the key is eating regularly. No one enjoys dieting and, if the latest study is correct, we may as well give it up. I’ve been on and off of diets for approximately my entire adult life. Although I don’t consider myself overweight, I have a great deal more belly fat than I would like. The diet industry is a multi-billion dollar affair, proving that I am not alone. In fact, the vast array of dieting gadgets, books, and videos…

More men with low intelligence scores at 18 had unhealthy belly size at 40. Men with low IQs may be at higher risk than brainiacs for later weight gain and added heart disease risk, a new study suggests. Swedish men who had the lowest IQs at about age 18 had higher waist-to-hip ratios at age 40 than their peers who scored higher on those IQ tests. It’s known that people with “apple-shaped” bodies, or more weight around the middle, are at higher risk for heart disease than those with “pear-shaped” bodies. Exactly how or even if IQ during late adolescence affects waist size is not clearly understood, and U.S cardiologists…